Hanging by a Moment
by Jini
Summary: Naruto attempts to tell Sakura how he feels, but things don’t go according to plan. What he is about to learn is that love is a battlefield and that sometimes you have to fight for what you want. [NaruSaku]


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: Naruto attempts to tell Sakura how he feels, but things don't go according to plan. What he is about to learn is that love is a battlefield and that sometimes you have to fight for what you want.

Author's note: Okay, it's been a while since I wrote _Closet Fever_ and I thank each and every one of you for such wonderful reviews. They were inspiring and I'm very grateful.

I wanted to write another one-shot just to test the waters again, so to speak… but instead I winded up writing this. It took a while for me to decide whether or not to make this a multi-chaptered story than just one really long one-shot. And I still don't know where this is going to tell you the truth. So far, this chapter came out as a whim… kind of like my _Closet Fever_ story.

So whatever happens …happens. Enjoy!

* * *

**Hanging by a Moment**

Chapter One: No Guts, No Glory

Seventeen-year-old Uzumaki Naruto sighed heavily and began to repeatedly thump his head on the table counter of Ichiraku's dining hut. 

_I'm an idiot_, he thought sullenly. _A big idiot. No – I'm the biggest idiot out there. What a way to mess it up, Uzumaki… and you call yourself the next Hokage?_

He sighed again, but it was more out of misery than out of humiliation, and returned to pounding his head over the table. Meanwhile, his bowl of ramen was growing cold. He couldn't even muster the same enthusiasm to chug it down as he normally would have done in brighter days. However, this wasn't a bright day, not at all. In fact, it was one of the many worst days in the life of Uzumaki Naruto, and trust him when he says that he's had many.

_But this just tops it_, he grumbled mentally.

The restaurant owner and his assistant Ayame were beginning to feel uneasy for his health. After all, he'd never entered their diner before simply to use their table as some kind of bat for his head. Not to mention, they were getting many odd glances from other people as they walked by; scaring away any possible customers from entering the booth.

"Idiot…" _Thump_. "Idiot." _Thump_. "Idiot, idiot, idiot." _Thump, thump, thump_.

Naruto would have continued this process long until he couldn't hit himself any more if not for the intervention of a certain Uchiha, who didn't miss a beat at the sight of his best friend clobbering his forehead on the stand.

"Stop that," he said, voice cool as ever, "you lose brain cells that way. And in your case, you need the one you have left."

The reaction was instantaneous. Naruto's back stiffened from the cutting remark and all too instantly he was throwing the most malicious glare he could muster, but whatever threats that look could have possibly invoked was lost at the sporting red mark dabbed right in the middle of his temple. It seemed to be glaring at Sasuke too, from the looks of it.

Sasuke, however, looked back impassively. Both at Naruto and his… sporting, red forehead.

Naruto would have said something snippy to his previous remark, but, like the ramen, he couldn't muster up the same energy to call Sasuke a bastard five million times as he normally would have done at that instant. Instead, he sighed heavily, heavenwards – as if asking to be struck by lightning any time soon (that could be arranged, thought Sasuke with dry-humor) – and went back to brooding.

Now, if Sasuke was by any way affected by this, he didn't show it. He did, however, take a seat beside his blonde comrade and ordered a glass of tea – as if to say to his friend with a kind of wry expectedness one possessed when they were about to venture into something they knew they were going to regret:

Okay, what happened now?

"I messed up," grumbled Naruto, as if on cue.

Sasuke took a sip of his drink – meaning: you mess up a lot. Elaborate.

"Shut up," Naruto muttered as he dragged the bowl of ramen – which had already gone cold – towards him, nearly spilling its contents from his carelessness. "It's something that only happens once every millennium and when I finally get the chance I screw up!" He snapped his chopsticks in half and jabbed a particularly thick piece of pork, but didn't pick it up.

Sasuke took another sip: Typical.

Stung by his lack of consideration, Naruto whirled in his stool and pointed his other chopstick at Sasuke's face. "Oh, be quiet, what the hell would _you _have done?" he demanded.

_Sip_: Definitely wouldn't have messed up. That's for sure.

"Yeah right!" said Naruto, somewhat annoyed by this claim. He crossed his arms over his chest. "You wouldn't know the first thing on what to do! You're like… _backwards_ when it comes to stuff like this – which makes me sort of wonder about you sometimes…"

_Sip_: I'd know at least _not_ to mess up… idiot.

"Can you talk to me like a regular person?" Naruto snapped, having had enough of the bizarre one-sided conversation. "_Geez_."

Sasuke placed his cup back down and rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe if you _told_ me what the hell you were talking about in the first place I wouldn't need to keep treating you like you're three."

That set Naruto straight. He pouted at having been told off – righteously too, Sasuke might add – sank farther into his seat as he could and then sighed for what felt like the millionth time that afternoon. He didn't immediately reply, however, instead continued to play with his barely-touched bowl of ramen and stare at his reflection in the soup, which looked back as pathetically as he felt.

Sasuke didn't rush him, didn't say anything; just watched, waiting.

Finally, Naruto uttered a single word that fitted all the puzzles and questions together that were going on in Sasuke's head: "Sakura-chan."

Ah. So that's what it was about.

He couldn't help but smirk.

"I should have known," he said, shaking his head.

Apparently, Naruto didn't like his tone of voice one bit. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "I didn't even tell you anything yet!"

"You don't need to," Sasuke said as he took the last of his tea into his mouth, which translated to Naruto as: When it comes to Sakura you're as dumb as they come.

Naruto looked away, swearing profusely under his breath.

Sasuke watched him, a bit weary. "So… what did you do this time?"

"_This time_?" Naruto said, turning to him suspiciously. "What do you mean by 'this time'?"

"Must I order another drink?" said Sasuke dryly, holding his cup. "Or should I just tell you?"

Naruto glared at him.

Sasuke wouldn't admit it, but he _was_ a bit curious. _Just_ a bit.

It wasn't secret to him – or to anyone for that matter … Naruto was so utterly and completely in love with Haruno Sakura that it was almost sickening. Yes, sickening. Sasuke found himself growing weary each time they were together and all Naruto could do was watch her with his mouth agape and his face all dream-like.

And whenever Sakura would question his odd behavior, the only poor excuse the blonde had to offer was: "Sorry, Sakura-chan, I was just thinking about ramen" or "I was just wondering when the next time I'm going to have some ramen" or worse yet, Sasuke's personal favorite, "I had this awesome dream that I was swimming in a big river of ramen!"

_Naruto…_Sasuke deadpanned, _was the biggest moron _ever.

And the sad part of it all was Sakura had and continued to remain utterly and completely oblivious just how _moronic_ Naruto was for her.

In fact, Sakura was probably the only one who wasn't aware of his rather … _blatant _feelings for her. The boy was in tragic shape alright, and Sasuke couldn't believe how someone as intuitive and intelligent as Sakura couldn't have possibly noticed it before.

Then again… Naruto wouldn't know _obvious_ even if it slapped him in the face and danced the conga.

Sasuke struggled not to roll his eyes again. Honestly, his teammates were both idiots.

"Well," said Naruto, who finally decided to speak, however he still appeared begrudging and…slightly uncertain. After a second of self-debate, he groaned, "_Fine_. I'll tell you – _but_," and at this he pointed a warning finger at Sasuke's nose, nearly jabbing him in the eye, "you've got to _swear_ not to call me an idiot or make fun of me or tell anyone about it! Got that?"

Sasuke didn't reply, but Naruto took that as a yes. So, with a deep inhale of breath _– he's going to think of me as an even bigger moron_, he thought dispassionately, wondering why he even allowed himself to be set up for such humiliation – and held out his pinky.

Sasuke stared at it with something close to disbelief, and then he turned back to Naruto, his face unresponsive.

"You're kidding right?" He snorted. "What are we – _preschool_?"

Somewhat irritated, Naruto wrung the pinky in his face. "Pinky-swear!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. He was being serious about this wasn't he? He thought, trying, and failing, to find any hints on Naruto's face that would give away that the blonde was joking around.

He found none.

_Typical_, Sasuke thought; not doing anything to hide the scowl that had made its way across his face. The one time he wished Naruto to be his blundering, idiotic self was the one time Naruto decided to be the exact opposite. Sasuke figured the term ironic would be putting it too lightly as Naruto's face remained annoyingly unfazed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever," he muttered with an air of annoyance. "I _swear_."

"You have to _pinky-swear_," said Naruto, unrelentingly.

Sasuke sent him a withering look that could have easily shattered glass. Or in this case, Naruto, who simply stared back, unflinchingly.

They remained like so, silently trying to will the other to back down until, for what seemed like hours, Sasuke finally lifted his hand and linked his pinky with his, much to Naruto's surprise, who seemed under the impression it'd take a lot more than a few glaring contests and bothersome badgering on his part to finally get Sasuke to comply. However, the connection only lasted for about a fraction of a millisecond, because by then Sasuke was already yanking his finger back and looking away, quite furious with Naruto's unwavering insistency and with himself for even giving into it. Nevertheless, it was enough for Naruto, who immediately grinned out in triumph.

"If you _ever_ ask me to do that again," growled Sasuke threateningly, who looked dangerously close to releasing the seal on his neck, "I swear I'll send you to the infirmary in pieces."

"That wasn't even a _real_ pinky-swear. You pulled away too fast for me to make it official!" Naruto complained in a bitter voice, although inside his spirits were considerably gleeful – that little contact alone was proof enough for Naruto that the impossible was indeed possible. Then as a funny idea came to him, he snickered, "Hey, you want to try again?"

"**Chido—"**

"Okay! Okay, I was just joking! Sheesh!" said Naruto hastily as he caught sight of an electrical spark surge around Sasuke's arm.

He supposed teasing Sasuke about this now, especially when the latter was still evidently incensed by the fact that he'd given in, was probably an unwise idea to make… one that could undoubtedly cost him a broken limp or two if pressed upon further. _Maybe later_, thought Naruto as an afterthought.

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Okay…" he began carefully, "this is what happened." He took a deep breath and went on. "I was on my way to the training grounds – to train of course," he added with a nervous chuckle as if Sasuke didn't know that already. The dark-haired boy refrained from rolling his eyes again. "But before that I went to the grocery store to buy some more ramen. I ran out this morning… it was so _sad_—"

"Naruto…"

"Anyway, the usual stuff happened and then…"

000

"Naruto!"

He looked up and saw her standing there, pink hair bouncing in the wind against her shoulders as she waved hello at him. She was wearing that red dress she used to wear when she was fifteen with a plain white shirt underneath. In one arm she was carrying a couple of large books while in the other was a small black bag; and judging from the bulge he saw poking at the corners, Naruto concluded that there were probably even more books stuffed inside it.

He got up from his spot beneath the tree and approached her.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" he greeted cheerfully. That wide, infectious smile that only came out whenever Sakura was concerned spread across his face as though by instinct. "Where are you off to?"

"The library," she said, showing him her books. "I just came back from the Academy. I had to give a lesson to the students about Medic-Nins and some of the herbs they use for some of their medicines." She rolled her eyes, however, with a bit of disdain lighting her green eyes. "It was a bit pointless though… I doubt they'd remember anything of what I told them."

And reading the covers of the two books she was holding - _The Many Herbs of Konoha _and… _The official Medic-Nin Guide to Quick Surgery_ – he realized why none of the other students would have remembered any of Sakura's teachings. He noted the books were quite thick and he did his best not to blanch at how explicably long and boring they must all have been. And that were just the two she was holding; he could only imagine how the other four or so stuffed in her bag must have paled in comparison.

He was never much of a reader, as he enjoyed learning things as they happened, but staring at Sakura and the fact that she looked so pristine with those giant, not to mention probably extensively difficult to understand (well, for him anyway) books of hers… he couldn't help but feel happy – _proud_… because this here was Sakura chan – _his_ Sakura-chan, who'd come a long way from being uncertain and regretful to this powerful beauty before him.

He must have been grinning like a total idiot because Sakura was now waving a hand over his face, trying to gain his attention. He blinked a few times and felt his cheeks burn at having been caught.

Sakura frowned. "What is _with _you?" she asked. "You just zoned off." There was a hint of irritation in her voice, as she didn't appreciate anyone – him especially – appearing distracted while she was speaking.

"Ah…uh…" he stuttered, feeling tongue-tied again. _Don't screw this up, Naruto! _He thought to himself quickly as he quickly regained his composure. "Ah… sorry, I just haven't had anything to eat yet, Sakura-chan—"_The damn grocery store was still closed by the time I got there…_ "—so I'm a bit spacey!"

He hoped this was a liable excuse and he tried not to show this by scrunching up his face so as to look completely calm and unfazed. Sakura knew him quite well, especially when he was lying. So as she frowned at him suspiciously, he did his best to smile naturally.

Finally, Sakura cracked a tiny smirk. "No ramen, huh?" she said, mischievously.

"Huh?" choked Naruto, stupidly; who, for one, expected Sakura to have hit him already for trying to fool her. But seconds later, he was nodding is head vigorously in agreement. "Yes! There was no ramen at home! No ramen at all, nope!"

Naruto felt like a total moron as Sakura giggled into her hand and said, "I thought as much."

That was the lamest excuse ever, he thought. _Why does everything that comes out of my mouth always have to do with ramen!? And… why the heck does she always assume ramen and I come from one package!? _

"You know… you should eat more healthy things other than ramen," said Sakura, who was still smirking.

"Yeah…" agreed Naruto, unenthusiastically to his feet, "I _have_ been feeling a bit off lately."

"Oh?" said Sakura curiously.

And it was perhaps to Naruto's bewilderment that his line of vision became obscured by a soft mop of pink hair.

"S-Sakura-chan?" he stuttered instantly, his face growing hot. "What—"

He made a move to get away from her, to leave some of that usual distance between them, however she neared him enough, so that their feet were now touching and his back was now facing the tree he'd once been sitting under just minutes before; as if to say that he wasn't about to be given that privilege. He craned his neck to look at her again, and this time he saw that she was giving him a pointed look, as if to say, _Stand still you idiot_.

Naruto became inert at once. He remained like so even as she unexpectedly raised her hand and placed it against his cheek – not that he could anyway; that one touch alone had managed to freeze him to his spot completely.

He was suddenly aware that they were alone and how unbelievably close they were standing – well, close enough for him to almost taste her scent. _She smells like strawberries…_ he thought, becoming distracted again by this and he couldn't help but sigh in appreciation of her choice of shampoo.

"You're a bit warm," she commented, staring up at him – he'd grown a head taller than her now – with concern. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"Sick? Me? Noo, of course not! Heh…heh…" He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, where he could feel the heat quickly radiating towards his face. He was trying to play it casual, because so far Sakura didn't seem to have any problems with their rather… close proximity, and he didn't want to ruin this… moment or whatever the hell it was … by acting like some love-sick goof.

She moved her hand up to his forehead, where her fingers just barely brushed the ends of his bangs. Naruto could have sworn a surge of electricity had coursed up his arms just then.

"You're hair is getting fairly long, Naruto," she stated lightly as she continued to play with his hair. "Shouldn't you get a haircut?"

"Yeah, I guess I should," he replied, his voice dry – he hoped he didn't sound too bad.

The feeling of her hand in his hair felt remarkable and he found it terribly difficult not to just succumb to the sensation and just let it devour him. Sakura didn't appear to have noticed his sudden inability to talk and continued to brush aside his hair from his eyes. The conflicting sensation going on within him was enough to drive him mad.

When he couldn't take it anymore, he cleared his throat a little bit, startling her (the both of them) and said, in attempt to keep their conversation going, "Do _you_ think I should get a haircut?"

"Hmm…" she hummed thoughtfully, and to his slight relief she stepped back a bit, as she eyed him from head to toe.

Naruto felt somewhat like a dear caught in head-lights while she observed him with obvious criticality; her gaze was so powerful, so mesmerizing that every time their eyes met, as she took another particularly long glance at his face and then at his hair, he found himself unable to look away.

"To tell you the truth," she said finally, staggering Naruto from his trance, "I kind of like it at this length. It makes you look… more… manly."

Naruto felt his jaw hit the floor. Had he heard wrong? Did … Sakura just call him… _manly?_

"Really?" he said, once he found his voice again. "Y-You think so?"

He'd always thought she didn't find him the slightest bit attractive… at least not in _that _way… but maybe…? He mentally shook his head. _Don't read too much into it… she was probably just saying… _Although he could do nothing to stop how erratic his breathing had just gone now and how fast his heart was speeding up.

Sakura blushed profoundly and made it a point not to meet his eye. "Well…y-yeah," she said, and he noted – to some degree – that her voice was a bit shaky too. She met him boldly in the eye; her chin rose in that typical Sakura buoyancy, and said, "You've grown to be quite… h-handsome… Naruto. Even I think so."

He tried not to stare at her to the point where it became unflattering; however, he couldn't _stop_ looking at her. Not after saying something like _that_. _She thinks I'm… handsome? _He tried not to let this new piece of information get in over his head, but it was hard to contain his delight and his smile.

_I must look like a moron again_, he thought as he quickly cast his eyes elsewhere, lest she thought he was thinking something perverted about her and then punch him.

What the hell was wrong with him? When it came to Sakura he could never really get himself together. He acted stupid around her; or rather… he _became _stupid whenever he was around her. Words he'd long since thought out, with hours of rehearsing and preparation… all went to waste the second he set eyes on her. Her smile, her laugh… her warmth… all made him come undone, both inside and out in just seconds, and it made him wonder if he was really altogether at all. She robbed him of his heart… every time she smiled or when she cried… and it was only when she was long gone, turning the corner or heading home… did he feel the emptiness of not having her there.

He knew he'd long since cared for her, both as a friend and… as something more.

It'd hurt a lot – more than a lot – seeing her with Sasuke, realizing how much she cared for Sasuke and that it was completely different from the way she cared about him. But he figured if she was happy with Sasuke, that if Sasuke was the one who could make Sakura happy, then by God he, Naruto, was going to make sure she _stayed_ happy. It was his reason why he'd strived so hard to bring back Sasuke for so long.

He thought, during his three year absence with Jiraiya, he could finally forget about her, get her out of his heart, and move on…but he couldn't. Every night since he left Konoha he thought about her, he missed her… and on some rare occasions – well, according to Jiraiya anyway – he even dreamt about her, murmuring her name in his sleep.

There were a lot of girls he could have gone after then – some even prettier and nicer than Sakura, all of whom had actually approved of him in the way that he'd liked to be approved of by her – but he'd turned them down. All of them.

It felt wrong… _they_ were wrong. Staring at each of their faces, from their glamorous lips to the flirtatious glint shining in their eyes, he felt an inexplicable pang of guilt come over him… as if he were somehow betraying Sakura if he should decide to pursue one of them. He couldn't replace Sakura. He couldn't replace her _ever_.

And just coming back and seeing her for the first time in three years made him realize that his feelings for her hadn't changed a bit; they'd only gotten stronger… much, much stronger… and the thought of actually loving someone that much _scared _him.

She was now staring at him too, her cheeks burning a fiery red now after the admittance of those words, but she wasn't looking away… and neither was he.

_She's beautiful… _he thought, feeling his breath leave him as he watched her face.

"Oh?" he said, speaking for the first time, and he could feel his cheeks flame too. "W-Well… I…" _C'mon, Naruto… just say it… you can do it! _He took a deep breath and he quickly grabbed for her other hand. He cleared his throat again. "Well… I… I think you're… very pretty!" he stammered, and he hated how his face went from pink to red in just three seconds flat.

Sakura blushed too. "You…you really mean that?" she asked.

Naruto swallowed and he shakily brought his hand to her face, making her look at him.

"Yes," he whispered, and he took another deep breath, before saying, "I happen to think you're _very_ beautiful…"

He was rewarded with a smile, which seemed to make his heart elate and his head dizzy. Unable to help himself, he smiled back – which he was positive looked just as ditzy and as goofy as he would if he were to be punched in the face.

He wasn't sure how long they've been standing there for or how long they continued to stare at one another. All Naruto was aware of was at this moment was his sudden desire to kiss her.

He recalled the number of times he'd thought of finally telling her how he felt. In his mind, they were usually in a secluded place when he'd told her; the fireflies dancing among them as he would lean in to kiss her… And the best part of those particular imaginings was… Sakura had actually kissed him back and told him she felt the same. He'd dreamt for that moment for so long… and finally here it was: his chance to finally tell her.

"Sakura-chan," he began with shooting confidence, and then hesitated, feeling the sudden bravado within himself coming crashing to a halt as he realized the weight of what he was about to attempt.

"Hm?" Sakura tilted her head to the side and looked at him inquisitively. "What is it, Naruto?"

He looked at her and swallowed. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster again and his breath becoming shallow. This was the moment of truth, he thought. This was it.

She was watching him carefully and expectantly, waiting.

"I…uh…I…uh…" he stuttered. _Get it together, Uzumaki! Are you going to be the next Hokage or not? You've faced scarier things before!_ He gulped. "Sakura-chan… I… I just wanted … to say… I… I…I…"

"You…?" she said, urging him to continue.

"I… well… for a while now…" he said and then trailed off when he realized that this was not the direction he wanted to go in. So he tried again. "Sakura-chan…I've been… well… I still…it's just I…" He stopped before he could continue babbling any longer.

It was no use. Sakura was looking as bemused as ever and he hadn't even so much as managed to make one simple sentence yet. This was hopeless. _Why can't I freaking say it?! I love you, Sakura-chan_._ I love you! I love you! I love you! _

"Naruto," said Sakura, and there was a hint of impatience in her tone. She was frowning again and she had her hands on her hips. _Not a good sign_, he thought, knowing full well the symptoms of a soon-to-be-annoyed Sakura was brewing fast. "Is there something wrong? You're acting strange." She looked at him skeptically.

Naruto sighed heavily. "No… I'm okay." At Sakura's look of uncertainty and suspicion he quickly conjured up his trademark smile. "Really, Sakura-chan, I'm okay."

Sakura still appeared doubtful however. "Are you sure?" she asked tentatively. "Are you positive you're not sick? I could take a look for you if you—"

"No!" he interrupted her fast before she decided to check his temperature again and repeat everything that had happened before. _One near heart attack is fine enough_, he thought dryly to himself. "I'm fine. I really am."

"Alright…" she conceded finally. She then cleared her throat. "Soo…" she began again after. She started to fiddle with the hem of her dress. "What…what was it that you wanted to tell me again?"

"I…" He stopped.

He was being given a second chance to redeem himself, he knew. _But what if…_ he thought suddenly, his heart sinking… _what if I tell her how I feel and she doesn't feel the same way_?

Then what? What would become of their friendship? Would she become afraid of him and avoid him? Would she be disgusted? Would he… _lose_ her anyway if he should make his feelings known?

All this time he'd been thinking about how wonderful it'd be if she felt the same way when he failed to consider what it'd be like if she didn't.

It was one thing to fantasize Sakura really feeling the same way about him as he did about her and another where she actually did. _And what if she didn't?_ He thought again and his stomach did a particular unpleasant flop. He didn't want to lose her, not for anything… not even for his own feelings. He'd rather have just her friendship than nothing.

_And who knows…_ he thought miserably. _She could still be hung over Sasuke_.

It was painful to think about, but he figured he could love her despite the pain. After all, her happiness was everything to him. If Sasuke was what made her happy then damnit… he would see to it that that bastard always made her happy. He was willing to let her go if it meant seeing her happy…

_But…what if she _does _feel the same way? _Said a voice in the back of his head. He quickly squashed it down, thinking… Her_ fall for _me? _Yeah right… in my dreams… _

"Naruto?"

He took a deep breath. "I was just going to say if you wanted to go get breakfast with me before I start my training?" he said, forcing himself to smile brightly. "My treat."

For a second, Sakura didn't move, didn't blink… didn't say anything. And then she was exhaling a breath and smiling just as cheerfully – however, for some reason, the light didn't quite reach her eyes. At least… not in the same way as it did when he had told her she was beautiful.

"Sure!" she said. "Oh, hey… do you think we can stop by at the library first? I need to return these books."

He nodded. "Uh… yeah, sure," he said, clearing his throat. He couldn't help but feel a great sense of loss overcome him just now, and for a moment… he felt… sad. However, he was quick to shake it off. Instead he focused on her books, which she was now shifting into her other arm. "Here… you want me to carry that for you, Sakura-chan?"

"Oh, no, it's okay," said Sakura. There was something weird about her smile. She turned away before Naruto had time to figure out what. "C'mon let's go to the library so we can eat already."

She didn't wait for him to say anything and started walking ahead, her pink hair bouncing furiously at her shoulders. Naruto watched her for a second and then shook his head.

As he ran to catch up with her, he couldn't help but call himself a million kinds of idiot…

000

"And… that's what happened," Naruto finished, as he twiddled his fingers together in attempt to dull down his awkwardness and his guilt.

"Hm," was Sasuke's vague reply, which was probably his own way of expressing his unique astonishment.

"Well… what do you think?" said Naruto, nervously.

"Hm."

"I know… I know… I really messed up, didn't I?" said Naruto with a wince, staring gloomily at his ramen which he still had yet to start eating.

"Hm."

"Damnit! I should have told her!" Naruto scrunched up his hair. He whirled to face Sasuke, his face completely distraught. "I'm _such_ an idiot…"

"Hm."

"Now I'll probably never get this chance ever again!"

"Hm."

"Sakura-chan probably hates my guts right now…" he said despondently, his shoulders sagging.

"Hm."

Naruto's eye twitched. "Can you _say _something other than that?" he snapped. "_God_."

Sasuke finally glanced his way. "Why bother?" he said composedly. "You've basically summed up everything that I was going to say anyway."

Naruto scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, if it wasn't for her stupid crush on you maybe I'd have shown a bit more bravado and wouldn't have had cold feet!" said Naruto fervently. However, seeing Sasuke's face unfazed by this bit of news made him more and more annoyed.

Naruto gave him a dispassionate look. "You suck as a therapist," he said resentfully. "Remind me never to tell you anything like this again."

"Hm."

"Ugh! Forget it, I'm going!" said Naruto, exasperated, throwing his hand up in the air. He slammed his bill onto the table before darting off, leaving Sasuke to himself. From the corner of his eyes he watched as the blonde sauntered off, his hands thrust deep into his pocket with his head low, looking deeply unhappy indeed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the sheer stupidity of the situation. It was quite evident from the start… it was so freaking _obvious_ it was annoying.

_Really_, he thought, as he stared at Naruto's bowl of ramen which had gone untouched even to this moment, both his teammates were _idiots_.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He turned around and saw Sakura peeking beneath the hood of the hut, her hands clutched together nervously. She was looking around as if searching for something… or rather… _someone_.

Sasuke bet he knew who.

He watched as her eyes trailed from him and then to the untouched bowl of ramen, before she took the seat empty Naruto had once occupied. The set up scenario was beginning to feel like a freakish case of déjà vu…

There was a brief moment of silence as Sakura fiddled with her dress in agitation and Sasuke remained quiet and completely non-pulsed. Judging from the crease between her brows and the fact that she kept nibbling anxiously at her bottom lip, Sasuke could only assume she was being deeply troubled by something. And again, he had this bizarre feeling he already knew what it was about.

"Um… Sasuke-kun," Sakura began again awkwardly. "C-Can I talk to you about something?"

Sasuke cast his eyes wearily towards the ceiling. Why… did he get the feeling he wasn't going to like this? He thought as he braced himself for the inevitable.

_Naruto…this is all your fault_.

000

"Stupid Sasuke," Naruto muttered, scowling, as he threw a rock into the pond and watched as the water rippled before becoming completely still again.

The sight ticked him; it was reminding him in every way of Sasuke and of the way he, Naruto, had practically pored out his desperation and frustration to the other boy, despite his already mounting humiliation to the idea, and all Sasuke did in return was sip his tea and reply inarticulately.

"What is so great about him that's got every girl in Konoha going gaga?" he grumbled bitterly. "He's unexciting, mean and totally immune to all things of the opposite sex! I can love Sakura-chan loads better than he ever can!" He grabbed another rock at his feet, feeling his frustration and jealously surmounting his need for calmness. "Argh! Why is it so unfair!?"

He threw the rock, hard, waiting to see it splash into the middle of the pond and then sink, where it'd certainly never stir again… when to Naruto's surprise, there was no splash, no ripple… no _nothing_.

"Huh?" he said, evidently disturbed by this and he leaned into the water to get a better look when a voice right behind him nearly sent him hurling face-first into the pond's watery depths:

"Hey, Naruto!"

"Waah!"

Luckily for him, Naruto was quick to regain balance and instead landed on his back with a resounding 'thud!'

"_Ow_."

"Uh… are you okay?"

Naruto looked up to see the familiar face of his former teacher standing over him, and while he could not see anything beyond the typical dark mask disguising the man's face, Naruto could tell his teacher was deeply amused at his slip.

Instantly, he shot to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at the silver-haired jounin.

"Kakashi-sensei, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" he cried. "You almost gave me a heart attack _and_," he added irately, placing his hands at his waist, "nearly made me fall into the pond!"

"Haha… sorry, about that," said Kakashi, rubbing the back of his neck, although judging from the way his mouth kept threatening to smile Naruto figured the man wasn't nearly as apologetic as he'd let on. "Well, I wasn't aware I was sneaking upon anyone, Naruto. And a shinobi should always be prepared for the unexpected."

"Yeah, well…" said Naruto, slightly irked by that last comment, "I was kind of … thinking about stuff and didn't notice."

"Oh really?" said Kakashi as his single visible brow rose in mild curiosity. Naruto cursed his inability for some discretion and hoped the man wouldn't start asking any questions.

Kakashi seemed to have taken the hint, however, and didn't press on it further. Instead he reached into his back utility pouch and took out a darkly greenish book with that recognizable symbol of a crossed circle blaring for the world to see at the back. Naruto's expression dropped as he instantly distinguished the name of that book.

_Closet Fever_, he read with a slight roll of his eyes – even the change of title reeked of pervert. Apparently, after finally completing the _Icha Icha Paradise_ series (there were eight volumes in all) Ero-senin's lecherous imaginations didn't stop just there and had agreed that his many, adoring fans would benefit if he should start with something fresh, something original … something that would take the word "perversion" to a whole new level.

And judging from Kakashi's rather cryptic smile and the suspicious glazed expression that overcame his face while he read; Ero-senin had definitely succeeded in his recreation.

_Perverts_, thought Naruto with annoyance as Kakashi chuckled at a particular passage, seemingly unaware Naruto was even there at all anymore, _the both of them._

Of course, he wasn't being entirely honest as he continued to shoot disapproving glares over his shoulder at his former teacher – some would say that, after hanging out with the illustrious Jiraiya, who was _the_ epitome of pervert, he'd become somewhat of a pervert himself. However, Naruto chose not to admit it, even if there _was_ some bit of truth embedded beneath that fact.

After a while of silence – mostly due to Kakashi's continuous reading and Naruto's persistence in not wanting to be within range when the copy-nin started giggling again – Kakashi spoke, "So, what brings you here, Naruto?"

Naruto looked up from the water and back at his teacher, who had not glanced up from his reading, however, Naruto new that Kakashi was addressing him. He made a face. When it came to social and empathetic etiquettes Kakashi was even a worse sort of therapist than Sasuke.

"I should ask you the same question, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto grumpily. He was still bitter that he'd nearly fallen into the pond earlier and the current fact that Kakashi had turned Naruto's place of sanctum into a reader's corner for perverted literature.

"Ah, well… about that," said Kakashi more pleasantly, whose one eye crinkled into a smile, "I was just on a lovely stroll around the village when to my surprise I saw you here and decided to say hello."

_A likely story…not!_

"Oh? Was this before or after you crossed paths with the black cat?" It was all too easy to allow the sarcasm from seeping in, but Naruto couldn't help himself as his former teacher always did have a habit for poor excuses.

"I believe it was after I helped that old lady cross the street," Kakashi shot back, unperturbed.

"Yeah, well to think if you helped enough old ladies you'd start showing up on time for training," Naruto muttered, the cynicism still laced in his voice.

"My, my… aren't you in a lovely mood today?" said Kakashi blithely.

Naruto crossed his arms and turned away, mumbling something incoherent under his breath. Kakashi merely raised his brow at the sight but said nothing.

And once more, they relapsed into silence.

Naruto hated silences, especially uncomfortable ones. He began to fidget in his spot, his leg moving restlessly while he twiddled his fingers in agitation. Kakashi was the picture of perfect serenity; he looked hardly bothered and kept his eyes trained on his book, not even a strand of silver hair out of place.

"It's Sasuke, okay?" he blurted out before he even realized what he was doing. He turned away again, looking grumpier and more embarrassed than ever. "There I said it."

"Ah," said Kakashi with a note of understanding and amusement. He went back to his book. "So, what about Sasuke this time?"

He hesitated. "Well, it's not more so Sasuke," Naruto said, as he stuffed his hands back into his pockets. "It's… about Saku—"

"Kakashi, there you are!" cried a booming voice behind them.

"Waah!" Naruto nearly fell backwards again in fright and Kakashi's expression dropped to one of wry dread. The new presence leaped over their heads and landed on their feet before them.

Naruto recognized the man at once from the moment he laid eyes on the striking, but ugly green jumpsuit and the brightly yellow, striped leggings.

"Gai," Kakashi uttered tiredly under his breath.

"Haha!" said Gai, pointing a finger at Kakashi in triumph. "Thought you could get away, eh, Kakashi?"

"Well, can't say I didn't try, Gai," sighed Kakashi heavily.

"It's my turn to pick the challenge," said Gai, still with that maddening enthusiasm.

"I know," replied Kakashi. If the sarcasm hadn't been evident in his voice before, it was now. However, on the other hand, Gai didn't look as though he'd heard. "That's why I was…uh… here chatting here with Naruto."

It was the first time Gai had taken notice of the blonde, as he had been preoccupied with yelling at his copy-ninja friend.

"Hey, Naruto!" he greeted.

"Uh hi, Gai-sensei," Naruto mumbled, not quite as enthusiastic either. His heart was still hammering against his chest at having undergone yet another near death experience.

Gai noticed his tone immediately and thumped him on the back, knocking the wind out of him.

"What's the matter with you?" he demanded while Naruto hacked away. "Why do you greet me in such a weary voice—"

"I can only imagine…" Kakashi muttered, but once again he remained ignored by his comrade.

"—you should always greet someone, especially your elders, with charming enthusiasm!" Gai continued, reverberatingly. "After all, kids your age should be full of energy: THE BOUNTY OF YOUTH AWAITS FOR NO ONE, eh, Kakashi?"

"Naruto's just on the down side today," explained Kakashi lightly.

"No, I'm not—" Naruto went on to protest, however his voice, as weak as it was came a second too late and a particular glint – a shine of inspiration in Gai's dark eyes twinkled at the mention of Kakashi's words.

"On the down side, you say?" said Gai, looking at Naruto who was too busy glaring daggers at his former teacher to realize Gai was addressing him. "What about? Lee always did say I am a man of many talents, and it goes without saying that lending any wandering student a free ear is one of them."

"No, that's okay," said Naruto impatiently, who couldn't begin to fathom how anyone could land the misfortune to be given Gai's "free ear." He certainly didn't want to be one of those few. "Actually, I have to go now – you know, training and everything, but thanks for the offer, okay bye!"

He moved to make a fast getaway but Gai had grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and sat him back down next to Kakashi, who visibly was growing sorry for Naruto at having placed him in this situation. _He should be_, thought Naruto angrily, shooting the silver-haired man another vicious glare, because now he wouldn't have a choice but to take Gai's free ear offer.

Gai on the other hand was grinning from ear to ear, and that dangerous twinkle in his eye was beginning to make Naruto more and more nervous. And if he'd allow himself to even think this was possible, he'd even say he was scared. Just a bit.

"Heh… having girl troubles, eh, Naruto?" At Naruto's slackened jaw, he chuckled, almost proudly at himself for being able to such an intuitive suggestion. "I can tell, you know?"

Naruto grimaced. Just how many people _couldn't_ tell? He was starting to think he was walking around Konoha with a sign on his back that said: I am having estrogen problems. Kick me.

First Sasuke and then Gai… and now that he thought about it, he was sure Kakashi knew too. Great, thought Naruto irately, his love life was made a public knowledge before he had even told Sakura yet he loved her.

"You've been pining for her for ages," went on Gai dramatically, as if commentating on a live soap opera. "You've been watching her, constantly, from afar, always waiting… hoping… for the day… she finally looks your way…"

Naruto fell into deep consideration. That was true… he had been waiting for Sakura to see him as something more than just her friend for so long… Gai's words were beginning to incite something in Naruto that he thought was now impossible: hope.

"Beautiful, strong girl… never gave you the time of day," said Gai, who was watching Naruto carefully.

Kakashi noted Naruto's sudden change in behavior. "Uh, Gai I don't think—"

"Hush, Kakashi, I'm trying to help the lad by bringing out his emotions!" Gai said fervently in hushed tones. "No one should bottle up their feelings, especially during adolescence! The BOUNT—"

"Yeah, yeah, the Bounty of Youth awaits for no one, I get it," Kakashi muttered.

Gai returned to Naruto again who was smiling – a sad, tiny little quirk of his lips. It looked so heartbreaking, so touching… that Gai felt his eyes sting with the threat of tears. Oh, how he wanted to rush forward into the sunset and embrace the young, troubled boy! But he couldn't… he mustn't! The path to manhood was a difficult path indeed; one filled with turmoil, confusion and of course… tribulations! But one must under such sufferings alone. Oh, the cruelty of it all!

"However, to your dismay," Gai said quietly, "she is in love with another… She wants this love of hers to accept her, to see her… to _love_ her in the same way that you, yourself, accept, see and love _her_. But all you can do for her now… is be there for her… be sure that you do all you can to make her happy… even if it isn't with you… so that maybe… maybe… one day… she'll love you instead… Am I right, son?"

Naruto looked down at his feet, that sad, little smile still etched across his features. He thought of Sakura, of her face, her smile… and inside he felt himself feel a tiny bit better. Her happiness was absolutely everything to him. Even if it was not with him, it mattered. So… if she was happy, he'd accept that. No matter how much it would hurt in the end.

He looked back up at Gai – whose face was radiating with both a sad understanding and willful compassion – and at Kakashi, who was merely staring at Gai with something close to shrewd disbelief.

"And let me guess, does the lucky girl happen to be…" Gai trailed off as if to embed some suspense into the atmosphere before he uttered quietly, "…my little TenTen?"

Naruto fell over backwards again and Kakashi choked on air.

"TenTen?" he shouted, as he jumped straight to his feet again. He'd never felt this humiliated in his life. "TenTen?" he sputtered weakly.

Where the hell in his stupid declarations of love did Gai come up with that!?

Gai raised his brow. "Am I wrong?" he said, totally confused now.

Naruto's cheeks flamed a hideous shade of red. "Wrong!? Of course you're wrong!" he cried.

"Then who—"

"Sakura-chan! It's Sakura-chan!" he snapped, the red hue growing increasingly redder by the minute.

"Sakura…Sakura…" Gai tapped his chin thoughtfully and then brightened seconds later. "Oh, you mean Hokage-sama's apprentice?"

"Yes, that Sakura-chan," Naruto said through clenched teeth.

Gai frowned. "But… isn't she with that Uchiha Sasuke?" he said.

Apparently that had been the wrong thing to say. Naruto's face, as red as it was, had lost all color completely and he'd forgotten his anger and humility in a second. He let his hands drop to his sides as he looked back down at the ground again.

Of course people would naturally assume Sakura was with Sasuke. It was the most obvious thing. No one in the world would dare think Sakura, Godaime's number one apprentice, would be interested in Naruto… last in his class… last in almost everything, when Sasuke was first… first in everything – the obvious choice. It was only natural.

The pain was beginning to overwhelm him again; he had to get away. In an attempt to hide it, he turned from both the teachers.

"Yeah… I guess she should be with Sasuke," he said softly. He smiled sardonically. "After all, who wouldn't want to be?" He shook his head. "Anyway, I have to go…train…"

But before he could bolt, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw that it was Gai. He was smiling – not in that creepy 'oh, the bounty of youth awaits for no one' kind of way that usually warranted a restraining order on his part, but a genuine smile that meant he understood Naruto's feelings a lot more than he let on.

"You know what, my boy," he said gently, "if this girl means so much to you why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"I've tried… she doesn't feel the same way," Naruto mumbled, looking away again.

"She told you this?" said Gai.

"No," said Naruto, shaking his head. "But I know for a fact that if she had any choice to be with anyone it wouldn't be with me."

"You can't be so sure," said Kakashi, who walked to his other side, "if you don't tell her."

"Yeah," said Gai. He patted Naruto on the back. "How will she know how you feel if you don't tell her?"

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?" Naruto whispered.

"What if she does?"

Naruto went silent.

"You'll never know if you don't try," said Gai with a nod. "And love is all about risks. There are no guarantees. She may feel the same way, she may not… but at least you can say you tried with no regrets. Isn't she _worth_ the risk?"

"I don't want to lose her…" Naruto murmured. "And besides… I already lost my chance."

"Then fight for her," said Gai in that same maddening voice as before. "There's no such thing as a lost chance! Fight for her with every bone in your body until you finally can't! Let her know that you aren't willing to let her go that easily. If you love her so much then prove it to her!"

Something in those words sparked a fire within him; he felt the burning sensation come alive and overwhelm him; swallowing up all the negative feelings he'd been feeling earlier, leaving only determination, confidence and a sense of purpose, a sense of hope.

His face broke instantly into a winning smile.

"You're right, Gai-sensei! I can't give up just yet!" he said with an affirmed nod. He set off at a run back to the village. "Thanks a lot! I'll see you later! Bye Kakashi-sensei!"

Gai waved back as tears fell like a waterfall down his face. Kakashi shook his head, his eye crinkled into another smile.

"You always did have a way with words," he said.

"Yeah," Gai sniffed. Kakashi rolled his eyes and handed him a handkerchief. Gai took the offered item graciously before blowing nose into the cloth, releasing a series of disturbing sobs and sneezes in his wake. "WAH! Children do grow up so fast don't they, Kakashi?"

"Yeah…" said the copy-nin, eyeing him wearily, "But for others…obviously not fast enough."

Gai chuckled good-naturedly and wiped the last of his tears with the now soaking wet hankie. He handed it back to Kakashi, who stared at it with a mixture of uncertainty and repugnance.

"Uh… no thanks," said Kakashi, clearing his throat. "You can, uh… keep it."

Gai nodded and stuffed the cloth into his vest. "Now," the twinkle in his eye was back, "back to our challenge! Didn't think I had forgotten about it, did you?" he said, loud as ever.

Kakashi grumbled.

000

Naruto ran fast; much faster than he had ever ran in his life. He felt the adrenaline and the excitement surge in his veins. And up ahead of him, he saw her. Sakura. He saw her smile and that sense of purpose, of hope returned at full throttle; the sensation was stronger than ever. Naruto felt as if he'd burst if he didn't do something about it soon.

But he knew what he was going to do, and giving up was certainly not one of them. He closed his eyes and in his head he could hear her voice… calling out to him, saying his name. He remembered back to this morning and his determination to mend things intensified. He wasn't going to give up on Sakura, not now… not ever.

As Gai had told him earlier… if he loved her as much as he said he did then he should be eager to fight for her. And he was. He was going to put up the best damn fight he'd ever had in his life and show her…

…Show her just how much she truly meant to him.

* * *

A/N: Okay. I wrote this last month and then just finished it recently. Terrible I know, but school is starting next week, so I don't know much about what will happen after that. Expect updates to be slow. Like I said above: whatever happens…happens. 

Anyways, feedback is always nice. Was it good, bad, needs improvement? How were the characters? Seeing as how it was my first attempt at Sasuke, Kakashi and Gai… I want to know how they turned up. No flames please, but constructive criticism is acceptable.

Thanks again.


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